Written by
Gilson Willets
Produced by
Oscar Eagle
At
THE SELIG STUDIOS
Chicago, 111.
U. S. A.
The Stranger at the Croesus JClub.
Sister and Brother.
IN TWO
REELS
Copyright 1913, By
The Selig Polyscope Co.
All Rights Reserved
it
THE CONSCIENCE FUND
»
A Great Wrong
Righted.
FIRST REEL.
THE fourth of the detective series, "The Man in the Street,"
shows that individual perceptively quickened by new responsibilities that touch a heart interest, to intensify his
personality as the super-acute sleuth of the Croesus Club.
Hawke, president of the cigar trust, has been posted on the club
board for membership. "The Man in the Street" observes this
with dismay, and surreptitiously pockets the card. Street visits
the convent of "The White Sisters" and greets Sister Nell (who
is his sister in reality). It is then revealed that Hawke is their
father, and through his business dealing is considered by them
unworthy of membership in the club. She is much troubled by
the revelation of her brother and concludes to persuade their
father to clear his conscience. A prior scene shows Hawke harassed by remorse over some secrets of his life. Sister Nell visits
her father and demands that he redeem his past by giving back
his stolen fortune, before he can attain membership in this club.
After years of estrangement, Street also calls upon his father,
and emphasizes the message that his sister has conveyed, but he is
ordered from the house by his irate parent.
At a garden party Sister Nell is collecting funds for good
work. Here she meets her father, and they are introduced as
strangers. He tosses a roll of bills into the charity dish; but
she produces his application for membership in the club and
tells him she will not accept his money until he gives back to the
government all that he owes. She and her brother again meet,
and she tells him to inform the club of Hawke's ineligibility, and if
he will not do so, she will. She then visits the club and is refused
—— CAST =
Joseph Hawke Clifford Bruce
John Street Thomas Carriga
Sister Nell Adritnne Kroell
Stuy vesant Brooks Maxv>ell Sargen
Holbein Van Dyke Jack Nelson
Treasurer olC.S. Wm. Wallcott
His Secretary Margaret Prussi
Clerk of Conscience Fund Rose Evans
Chairman Membership ) Thomas Flynn
Committee J
Mrs. Stuy vesant Brooks Alma Russell
Doorman at Croesus Club .. ..Frank Weed
admittance by the doorman; but she nursed his daughter back to
life, so he kindly directs her 1o the fire-escape, as a means of
admission. She takes advantage of this offer, enters the committee
room through the window, declares that Hawke is ineligible, and
advises that they have the club detective investigate.
SECOND REEL.
The continuance of the story shows Hawke in his private
office, tortured by two visions of the past (illustrated by elaborate
dissolves). The first shows Hawke's brother and partner dead of
heart failure in the act of writing a confession, telling how for
years they had declared only half their output for internal revenue, thus swindling the government. His son and daughter show
him this confession, and he, sfter acknowledging its validity,
burns it. Both lift the finger of scorn, crying "Thief!" In the
second vision is revealed the convent, where the daughter, now a
sister, is visited by her brother. He sees himself in the shadow,
and is stung with remorse as they coldly stare at him. He determines upon restitution. He goes to the bank, draws $200,000.
and addresses the package to "The Conscience Fund," U. S. Treasury, Washington, D. C. He then goes down to his garage, dons
overalls, smudges his face, takes the package to the express
company, gives it in as of "no value," concealing his own identity.
The next scene shows the amazement at the capital at the
reception of such a large sum, which is entered as "credit to a
cigarmaker." Sister Nell and Brother Street read in the papers
the story of the largest contribution that has ever been made to
the "Conscience Fund" and recognize their father as the contributor. Nell, with her rigid ideas of honesty, declares that it is
not enough and that Hawke must give all he has. They visit
their father and Street informs him that he will be blackballed
by the club unless he complies with their request. He promises
to do so, is elected to the club, and then instantly dies of heart
failure. The following morning it is read with astonishment that
Hawke's heirs are "The Man in the Street" and Sister Nell, who
inherit his estate of $3,000,000,
A later scene shows the pair preparing to complete the redemption of their father. Nell brings her brother the robe and
cowl of a Franciscan padre, and he takes the entire fortune to
Washington, leaving it at the office of "The Conscience Fund."
The last scene shows him back in his club, reading the order
of the Secret Service: "Find that padre who left $3,000,000 at
the office of 'The Conscience Fund'." He and his sister alone
know the secret, and they are satisfied in that they have not
betrayed their father's name or his sin.
